


call me back

by TechnicalTragedy



Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Dialogue Heavy, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Moving On, Phone Calls & Telephones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-06
Updated: 2015-08-06
Packaged: 2018-04-13 05:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4508757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TechnicalTragedy/pseuds/TechnicalTragedy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	call me back

**Author's Note:**

> i took a brief break from working on my long fic to write this because the idea wouldn't leave my head.
> 
> ((referenced drinking but it's mentioned like once))

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"I'm just calling to check up on you. I can't wait to come visit next month, and I hope you get this message soon so you can call me back. I miss you!"

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"Hello again, Jed. You didn't call back last night, so I just wanted to call again and make sure you got my message. Are you okay? You don't normally avoid my calls, and I don't know if I've done anything wrong. Call me back when you can."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"Your phone went straight to voicemail. What's up with you, Jed? Are you ignoring me or is there something I'm missing? I hope nothing's happened. Call me back, please."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"It's been a week, Jedediah. Why has your phone been going straight to voicemail these past few days? Are we still on for next month? I miss you, please stop giving me the cold shoulder. Whatever I did, I'll apologize. Will you please call me back?"

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"Please answer. Please. Answer your phone, Jed. Message me on Skype, text me, whatever. I know you think I'm old-fashioned because I prefer to call you, but please answer in whatever way you can. Please just tell me you're alright, because not knowing is killing me. Please, please call me back."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"Two weeks. I'm starting to lose hope. I'm trying to not contact you so often, hoping you'll reply if I'm not so clingy. I'm supposed to fly to you in two weeks, now. Is that still happening or would you prefer I stayed home? Call me back with the details."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"Your mother called me last night. You're a fucking asshole, Jedediah. Why would you- You didn't- I can't even think right now, this is too much for me to process. Fucking call me back, okay?"

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"Three weeks of de- of silence. I don't hate you, y'know. I just need you to let me know if everything's okay. Your mom hasn't seen you, and the cops haven't found you, and I don't know what to think. Where the fuck are you? Call me."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"I was supposed to get on a plane tomorrow, but instead all I get is a fucking emailed news story about you. Jedediah, please be okay. You need to let me know you're okay, because I don't know what I'll do if you aren't. Please, please just call me, please."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"..."

 

-beep-

 

"..."

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Jedediah. Jed. Fuck. I hate you so much, you fucker. Please. Please just call me back. Please, Jed. It's all I want."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"It's been two months since the news. I thought maybe your voice would sound different, for some reason. I miss you every day, Jed. I never got to tell you... I suppose it doesn't matter now. I miss you. I miss you. Maybe if I keep saying it it'll stop hurting."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"Sometimes I call just to hear your voice. Will I ever stop crying over you? Will it ever stop hurting? I miss you. I know I've said that before, but it's no less true now than it was then. It's only been two and a half months, but even the thought of you still makes me ache. I wish you could call me back."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"Yesterday was your birthday! To celebrate, I got really drunk and cried in front of my friends. I don't know how much longer I can go on like this, but I just can't let you go. They're saying it's 'unhealthy.' What the _fuck_ do they know? I miss you so much, Jed, you have no idea. I miss you more every day."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"..."

 

-beep-

 

"..."

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"..."

 

-beep-

 

"..."

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"..."

 

-beep-

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"I went a full month without calling you. Today's been a bad day, though, and I needed to hear your voice again. I'm glad I saved some of those silly voice messages you sent me, because some days they're all that keep me sane. It's been over half a year now. I still miss you."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"I met a boy. He has blonde hair and a crooked nose but his eyes are too dark to be like yours. He doesn't sound like you either. Your voice is like a hammer and his is a pillow. He asked me on a date and he was close enough to you that I agreed. I'm sorry."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"It didn't work out with Alexander. He was too alike and too different and nothing I wanted. I want you, and that just isn't fair to him. I'm not going on another date with him, but I let him kiss me at the end of the night. He was too sweet, I couldn't stand it. I wish you were still here to get jealous over him."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"Nine months. That's how long it takes for a baby to be born, yes? You'd think maybe there was some kind of new life in me, too, but it's just the same toil and slog every day. You used to love the word 'slog,' thought it was hilarious. I wish you were here to laugh with me."

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _I can't get to the phone right now, but- Ockie, stop that! I'm trying to record my voicemail message thing. I can't make it to the phone right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can!_ "

 

"It's been exactly one year, now, and I met a boy with blue hair, blue eyes, and a straight nose. He's nothing like you, soft edges where you were hard planes. I don't write him poetry like I wrote for you, but he sketches me when he thinks I don't know. I miss you, but I think it's time to move on."

 

 

\- - -

 

"Hello?"

 

"..."

 

"Um, hello? Who is this?"

 

"I'm sorry. You, um, you caught me off-guard. I didn't think anyone would answer."

 

"Who are you? Why are you calling?"

 

"This was my boyfriend's number. He, um, he died. I used to call him just to hear his voice. I'm sorry, I won't call again."

 

"Oh. Are... Do you want to talk about it?"

 

"It was his birthday today, is all. I just wanted to wish him a happy birthday. I'll go now."

 

"Okay. Hey, I lost my sister a couple years back. Used to dial her all the time, too. I'm sorry about your boyfriend."

 

"Thank you. Goodbye."

 

-beep-

 

 

\- - -

 

 

" _Please don't take my sunshine away..._ "

 

Octavius's fingers ghost over the picture of Jedediah, the final note of Jed's soft singing fading away.

 

"Happy birthday, love," Octavius says, and lights the match.

 

The fire reflects in his eyes as he takes that first dramatic step down a new path.

**Author's Note:**

> (i'm dovahzul on tumblr just in case u wanted to know ;) )


End file.
